<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>June 3rd,2012<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Good morning! Welcome to the celebration of the Solemnity of the Most Holy
Trinity. We’re glad to worship with you, and
we hope you have a blessed week.

As we celebrate Trinity Sunday this week, we
consider a doctrine so central to our faith that we
proclaim it every time we make the Sign of the
Cross.
Belief in the Trinity is what defines us as
Christians, which is why Mormons or Jehovah's
Witnesses, who reject faith in the Trinity, are not
considered Christians. Our faith in the Trinity depends entirely on God revealing Himself to us in Jesus. Because we believe the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Spirit are "consubstantial" (they share one nature or substance), when we grow to know Jesus we
also grow to know the Father
and the Holy Spirit. The
three "persons" of the Trinity,
unlike human persons, are
never in conflict with each
other. Even though we use
the term "person" to talk
about the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Spirit, we must
remember that these three
are not separate
"personalities."

(cont.)
In fact, if we were to use the term "personality"
at all, we would have to say that the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit have but one personality, a personality
that can be summed up in a single word: love. As the
apostle John tells us, "God is love" (1 John 4:8). Real
love, unlike the corrupt version we see on television, is
self-giving, and we see this most perfectly in Jesus' selfsacrifice on the cross. When we see Jesus on the cross - and when we celebrate Mass -- He is offering Himself
to the Father. And it is out of the Father's own selfgiving that we can say the Son is "begotten." And from
this relationship, in turn, the Holy Spirit "proceeds" -an explosion of love that has neither beginning nor end.
In fact, one of the best images of the Trinity
comes from Pope Benedict, who compared the Trinity to
a nuclear explosion of love.

SFM Evangelization Video
St. Francis Mission is preparing a video to
call fallen-away Catholics back to the Church, and
we need your help! At Mass on June 10 & 17, Mike
O'Sullivan will film our parish. You can help by answering the following question on video:
• Why are you Catholic?
• What do you like about being Catholic?
• What is your favorite Gospel story?
• If you have come back to the Church, tell us why
you did.

(cont. in next column)

“The Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit,
that we are children of God.”

Blessed John XXIII
On June 3rd, the Church celebrates the life of Blessed John XXIII.
Elected pope at the age of seventy-seven in 1958, John XXIII was regarded as a “transitional” pope. In an unexpected way, he fit that description. As he learned of problems in the Church around the world and
of the state of the world itself, John called an ecumenical council, saying
“let us come together. Let us make an end of our divisions.” Through his
calling of the Second Vatican Council, he steered the Church into a new
age, recommitted to being a truly “universal Church.” Some effects of the
Council include: increased lay ministries; the translated liturgy into the
vernacular; renewed attention to the Scriptures; and an underlining of
the Church’s solidarity with humanity, especially with the poor and suffering. Just as Blessed John XXIII further opened the Church to the
world, we are called to take our faith beyond our personal relationship
with God and to engage in the broken and hopeful world around us.

World Apostolate of Fatima Presents:
The National Pilgrim Virgin Statue
Come see this beautiful statue of Our Lady of
Fatima and learn
Our Lady's message!
7:00 PM, Monday
June 11, St.
Bridget's
In 1917 in
Fatima, a small town
in Portugal, Our Lady
appeared to three
shepherd children.
At the first apparition, the children
were so moved by the
radiance of the vision
that they cried out involuntarily, "Most Holy Trinity,
I adore you! My God, my God, I love you in the Most
Blessed Sacrament!"
In the United States today, the Pilgrim Virgin
Program focuses on the need for prayer and penance,
as requested by the American Bishops and Our Lady
of Fatima. The Program offers a simple way for all
Catholics to pray and make sacrifices of reparation
for the sins of our country.

Announcements
Body, Mind, and Soul Starts Soon!
These week-long vacation Bible schools teach children
about the Catholic faith through fun and interactive
sessions and activities. For more information, contact
Caroline Stands, 747-2436.
June 11-15 Rosebud
July 23rd-27th Mission
June 18-22 Spring Creek July 30th-Aug. 3rd Parmelee
July 9-13 St. Francis

Hills Alive Concert
This massive, FREE Christian music festival takes
place July 20-21st at Memorial Park in Rapid City.
Plans are in the works for a youth trip to the festival
with chaperones. Stay tuned for more info in the
coming weeks.